Former WB China Chief Eliasoph Backs 3D Film Push Following the success of Avatar in China and the flop of China’s latest 3D film, Ellen Eliasoph, the former head of Warner Bros. China and Bai Qiang, the founder of a new company called 3D-China, have teamed up to explain and promote the 3-D technology proliferating in Hollywood to China’s burgeoning film industry and Chinese middle-class moviegoers.
After the failure of Chinese director A Gan’s 3D movie Don Quixote, which was pulled from screens after its Oct. 15 premiere, Bai said there was much work to be done for Chinese 3D to catch up with Hollywood. “It somewhat shakes the confidence of Chinese movie industry in doing 3D,” Bai told The Hollywood Reporter. “The pure domestic attempts on 3D have not been very eager.”
Eliasoph and Quang are banding together with the government to launch the "3D Creation Expo" which is free to the public and will feature several 3D features including a promo for the US Air Force, a college football game, a film about a Chinese fashion show (Catwalk 3D) and a short film called Hi from Hollywood, produced by film students at the University of Southern California now taking the classes of professor Michael Peyser. A talk on the importance of storytelling to any film, 2D or 3D, was set to include CAA China president Peter Loehr, director Lu Chuan and Qian Chong Yuan, director of the film department of Beijing Forbidden City Film Co. This just shows that American film technologies are slowly making their way into other markets and proliferate the world, making it to the new normal and over-shadowing regular movie-making. This rush to 3D is just another example of forced upgrade such as the DVD eclipsing the VCR (and maybe next BluRay) or the CD replacing the mix tape.
Christopher Nolan is to receive the Visual Effects Society’s inaugural Visionary Award at their Awards night on January 28, 2011, in recognition of his unique and consistent use of “the art and science of visual effects to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work,” according to the VES.
Nolan’s films, from Memento and The Prestige to The Dark Knight and Inception, have helped to “tell complex and astonishing stories that change the way we think about the world around us,” says VES Awards Committee chair Jeffrey A. Okun. “His body of work inspires and he continues to push the envelope both technically and in storytelling. Given the amazing work he’s already created in such a short span of time, he is absolutely the best person to receive our inaugural Visionary Award.”
Christopher Nolan will receive an award for his magnificent work on January 28, 2011. He has taken us to another world, when it comes to the art of science and visual effects. He has inspired other film makers to aspire to great lengths. His special effects in Dark Knight took the audience by storm. Only the future will show what amazing work he will continue to do on movies such as the third Batman installment.
-Mohammad O. Kabiri
The Wall Street Journal reported that "Warner Bros. is investigating how the first 36 minutes of the newest 'Harry Potter' film came to be posted on the Internet late Monday night, four days ahead of the movie's worldwide theatrical debut Friday."
Bianca Puopolo 11/17/2010
Amazon Puts on Its Sunglasses and Goes Hollywood
Amazon hopes to expand their business and introduce feature films to their already successful online business. They do not want to draw the line at online retail, but hope to use their site as an entrance into Hollywood. Aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers will be able to submit potential blockbusters through Amazon. Major feature films now have the possibly to be made from people who normally wouldn’t have had the funds or connections to do so. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/amazon-puts-on-its-sunglasses-and-goes-hollywood/?ref=media
Dark Alley MediaAn image from the Bruce LaBruce film “L.A. Zombie.”
Could there eventually come a day when our popular culture’s disposition toward all things zombie-related goes from fixation to saturation, from saturation to revulsion, and from revulsion to a point where people are actually persecuted for showing zombie movies? Richard Wolstencroft, the director of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival in Australia, might argue that the day is already here. But then again the zombie movie he tried to show at his festival over the summer is not exactly your ordinary horror flick.
James Cameron, filmmaker of Avatar, is well known for "pioneering" 3-Dimensional movies. Despite the "mystique of the magic moment" vibe of all his 3-D smarts, most people in the industry trust him when he shares his belief that the next big step in glasses-less 3DTV. Considering HDTV
has been around since the 1990s, but didn’t really hit big until about five years ago, that estimate sounds about right.
The main issue with Cameron's idea of glasses-less 3DTV is that most people in the industry are having trouble visualizing what the concept actually means and what it will actually look like. Despite our advances, seeing a 3D movie or TV without glasses seems like a far-fetched idea to many. However, in March Nintendo is releasing the 3DS, one of the first forms of glasses-less 3D entertianment and making many believe that a future in TV and movies isn't far off.
What will be interesting to see is whether 3D entertainment will actually improve our TV shows and movies or will it make them all along the lines of Avatar: lots of cool graphics to capture attention and distract from a dismal, uninteresting plot. If that is where 3D entertainment, and glass-less 3D entertainment, is going to continue taking us, then I would rather stick with the sets we already have.
Here we see an example of the authorities taking action towards pirated films. Other than written warnings and threats, it is hard to break down on getting this problem fixed. But we see that in Brooklyn about 10,000 counterfeit bootlegged copies of videos were seized. This gives relief to film makers and directors, giving them the credit they deserve and allowing them to earn more money. Even though these bootlegged copies are sold for about three dollars, the film makers do not see any of this profit.
Alyssa O'Brien 11/4/10
Image Credit: Dreamworks AnimationAfter a few weeks devoted to horror geeks and Jackass freaks, the box office is set to explode this weekend as three very different films — each aiming for a particular audience — are unleashed for your consumption. For families, DreamWorks Animation and Paramount Pictures are providing the PG-rated animated superhero comedy Megamind, starring Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Brad Pitt. For comedy lovers who prefer a bit more profanity and Robert Downey Jr. with their laughs, Warner Bros. (and co-producer Legendary Pictures) is releasing the R-rated Due Date, which is director Todd Phillips’ follow-up to last year’s surprise smash The Hangover. And, finally, director/writer Tyler Perry has assembled an impressive ensemble of actresses, including Kimberly Elise, Whoopi Goldberg, Thandie Newton, Kerry Washington, and Janet Jackson, for Lions Gate’s drama For Colored Girls. My scientifically verified and astrologically swayed predictions follow:
Paramount is anticipating the $130 million Megamind to debut to about the same figure as DreamWorks’ last original animated film, How to Train Your Dragon, which soared to a $43.7 million opening in March. But Dragon didn’t have the star power of Ferrell and Pitt, and Paramount’s been promoting Megamind with the fervor of a gubernatorial candidate. Megamind will also benefit from an extremely wide opening at 3,944 locations, two-thirds of which will be showing the comedy in 3-D. Add in 195 IMAX 3-D screens, a short running time of 96 minutes, and an audience starved for family entertainment, and I’m thinking this thing should have no problem topping $50 million. (By comparison, Universal’s similarly themed Despicable Me grossed $56.4 million its first weekend in July).
Phillips’ last film, The Hangover, opened to an unexpected $45 million last year and finished its domestic run with $277.3 million — the largest jackpot ever for an R-rated comedy. It also made a star out of Zach Galifianakis, who now shares the screen in Due Date with none other than Robert Downey Jr. Unfortunately, the early buzz on Due Date is that it’s no Hangover, but that shouldn’t prevent the road-trip comedy from still scoring big this weekend.
In his first ever R-rated directing effort, Tyler Perry adapted the 1975 play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf (try fitting that title on a theater marquee). Lions Gate has been marketing the film as a serious drama, which it is, but initial reviews have been mixed. Perry’s fans, however, have been notably supportive throughout his career — the eight films he has directed have opened to an average of $24.2 million. For Colored Girls should earn approximately the same amount as it screens at 2,127 locations.
Life is hard for a horror film after its first weekend, and with Megamind stealing plenty of 3-D screens from Saw 3D, this final entry in the horror franchise should expect a drop of about 65 percent.
Paranormal 2 shouldn’t tumble as much as Saw 3D will this weekend — a slip of 58 percent is more likely. If the horror sequel falls any more than that, the action comedy Red, which has been showing incredible stamina, could very well step in and snag fifth place.
Also opening this weekend in four locations is Danny Boyle’s //127 Hours//, starring James Franco as a real-life mountain climber who becomes trapped under a boulder. The intense drama should score a massive per-theater average, even if a few moviegoers have been reported to have fainted like, well, goats. And Summit’s action thriller //Fair Game//, starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, will begin its journey at 46 theaters.
Paramount pictures is anticipating their IMAX 3-D movie to do very well easily topping 50 million. IMAX 3-D films are truly the rage these days. It is opening at 3,944 locations, and the audience is greatly anticipating this film, and ready for some family entertainment. This film also stars big names like Brad Pitt and Will Ferrell. We will see how good the film really does tomorrow.
D-BOX Technologies designs and manufactures leading edge high-technology motion systems mainly suited to the needs of the entertainment industry. With its unique, patented technology, « D-BOX Motion Code™ » uses motion effects specifically programmed for each film, TV series or video game, which are sent to a motion generating system integrated within either a platform or a seat. The resulting motion is perfectly synchronized with all onscreen action, creating an unmatched realistic immersive experience. To date, D-BOX Motion Code™ is available on more than 900 titles. Accordingly, many prominent Hollywood studios have started embedding D-BOX Motion Code™ on many Blu-ray™ format and theatrical releases. By reaching agreements with the leaders of both the motion picture and gaming industries, D-BOX’s award-winning motion technology is gradually proving itself as a new global standard in the entertainment world...
Making Movies with Laptops and Ingenuity
This article refers to the fact that anyone with the imagination and passion for storytelling being able to make a movie. Using programs such as Adobe to create aliens can be a great alternative to spending thousands of dollars to have a green screen. A new movie titled "Monsters" was made with two laptops, one for assembling the movie, and the other for creating effects. This allows for more people being able to show their talent making movies, without having to have as much money as the Hollywood directors or producers do.
"While the series covers the history of the movie business through evolving technology, artistic progress and commercial drive, the dominant feeling one gets is that the engine of Hollywood was its ambitious moguls: Men, mostly immigrants, who built an empire of celluloid."
With only one major release this weekend, it’s tempting to simply predict a first-place finish for Saw 3D and call it a day. However, this Halloween weekend’s battle between two horror films — Lionsgate’ seventh (and allegedly last) Saw entry and Paramount’s holdover Paranormal Activity 2 — may wind up closer than we anticipate. For one thing, there’s bad blood between the two franchises. When Saw VI opened last year on Oct. 23, its weekend victory was all but assured, especially considering that since Saw II, every Saw movie had debuted to at least $30 million. But instead, little Paranormal Activity, with its $15,000 budget, expanded wide and amputated Saw VI‘s box-office prowess. Paranormal Activity grossed $21.1 million that weekend while Saw VI had to settle for second place with $14.1 million (and a series-low domestic total of $27.7 million). And yet, despite this cautionary preamble, I’m still picking Saw 3D over Paranormal Activity 2. Here’s why:
1. Saw 3D: $23.5 million
The wild-card element at play is 3-D. If everyone who saw Saw VI comes out for Saw 3D and pays the exorbitant 3-D surcharge, that would result in a sizable bump. (A Colbert bump would have been even better). Saw 3D should also benefit from being advertised as the final entry in the franchise. Moviegoers who saw only the first two or three Saw films may still be curious to discover how the whole enchilada ends. Despite these selling points, however, Saw appears to be a (horrible pun intended) dying series. Since Saw II, each successive film has cumulatively earned less than its predecessor. And 3-D doesn’t seem to have quite the same pull it had six months ago; for instance, that extra dimension failed to stir much interest in Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take, which premiered to a measly $6.8 million a few weeks ago. So I’m predicting Saw 3D will split the openings of Saw V ($30.1 million) and Saw VI ($14.1 million) and come away with around $23.5 million from 2,808 locations — still a tidy sum considering the film’s reported $11 million budget.
Considering how front-loaded Paranormal Activity 2‘s record-breaking $40.7 million weekend was, the film would likely be facing a significant drop even if Saw 3D wasn’t opening this weekend. But throw Jigsaw into the equation, and Paranormal 2 should anticipate a 55 percent fall.
Even if Jackass 3D takes another tumble of about 55 percent, Johnny Knoxville and company should cross $100 million this weekend — a Jackass stunt no one saw coming.
Having dipped only 31 percent its second weekend, Summit’s action comedy should continue to hold up well. In fact, it could easily overtake Jackass 3D for third place this weekend, but I’m giving the stunt pranksters a slight edge. By the end of the weekend, Red will have practically matched its reported budget of $58 million.
Historically, Clint Eastwood’s films are slow burners, and with little else in the marketplace for serious-minded adults, the supernatural drama Hereafter would normally be expected to slip only 30 percent or so. However, in light of the film’s average reviews and a C+ score from CinemaScore audiences, I’m predicting a (still commendable) drop that’s closer to 40 percent.
Also opening in 10 locations is the indie drama //Welcome to the Rileys//, starring Twilight‘s Kristen Stewart, James Gandolfini, and Melissa Leo. The third and final entry of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, //The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest//, also debuts in 123 theaters.
The new Saw is doing very well, especially since it has barely been out in movie theatres. Many critics are saying that the 3D element is playing very well for the film. Even though the Saw movies were making a lot of money, they were becoming less and less popular. The 3D wildcard played to its advantage, and now it is in the number one spot. Only the future holds what roles 3D will play in the upcoming movies.
-Mohammad O. Kabiri
Pixar Removes Its First Female Director
By Brooks Barnes
October 20, 2010, 2:30 pm
Walt Disney Studios confirmed a report on the blog CartoonBrew.com that Brenda Chapman — heralded as the first woman to direct a Pixar film, the forthcoming “Brave” — had been replaced at the helm of that picture by Mark Andrews, the director of the 2005 Pixar short “One Man Band.”
Pixar has faced criticism from some corners about its lack of gender diversity behind the camera. All 11 of the celebrated animation studio’s features have been directed by men. Some movie critics, bloggers and others have also faulted Pixar for a shortage of leading ladies on screen, with most of its films — “Up,” “Toy Story,” “Cars,” “Monsters Inc.” — focused on male characters.
A new feature-length documentary called “Full Signal” will was released worldwide in June analyzes the need for towers, their benefits, and the people who want them to be done away with—or at least examined more closely. The idea was introduced by Talal Jabari, a Palestinian-American filmmaker who first became concerned about the effects of cellular equipment as a young father living in the Middle East.
The film discusses the Connecticut Sitting Council who focus solely on the idea that cellular infrastructure is harming the country, rather than helping it. To those featured in the movie and in the council, the cellular and internet technology should be much more greatly controlled and that it's very presence is greatly harming Americans in their health.
Featured Author, Blake Levitt, find her inspiration in European countries. At a press conference, she was quoted saying:
“In France, the French national library system outlawed Wi-Fi in libraries because it was making librarians sick...The German government has advised citizens to keep landlines functioning and wireless products to a minimum, and they recommend people within childbearing age not use laptops for fertility reasons. Most European countries recommend children under 16 not use cell phones, except in an emergency or for people to use cordless domestic phones. They know the safer technology is wired systems, but we’re punch drunk here with wireless convenience.”
In general the movie asks us how "punch drunk" we really are with technology, and is it too much to realize the harmful effects that technology is really having on us.
Around 50 years ago Hollywood considered 3D movies would be widespread, with millions of cinema goers enjoying three dimensional movies by the the late 1960's. Well, fifty years on that thought is now becoming a reality as more and more producers and directors are investing their time and money in developing blockbuster movies in 3D format.
However, many people could never expect how quickly the technology would allow people to watch 3D films in their very own homes.
Entertainment electronics manufacturers are investing hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars into creating 3D compatible Bluray DVD players and 3D televisions. Enabling people watch cinema quality three dimensional movies whenever they choose to.
The technology is also developing into different standards such as Dynamic Digital Depth which uses highly sophisticated software to now enter the home and transfer standard, two dimensional video output into 3D images. Surely, something that could never have been expected in the 1960's.
The software will unlikely be sold separately, but will instead be licensed to manufacturers such who will pre install the software into new TVs and Blu Ray players. It will also be possible for home entertainment fans to plug their 3D television into a broadband connection which will update the software as it develops. Ensuring that the television has a full life span. It is even anticipated that laptops and wireless notebooks will become 3D. Enabling everyone to watch 3D movies not just in their living room but literally anywhere in the world.
The 1960's saw the launch of colour television throughout the United States, but it is the new millennium which has finally seen the explosion of 3D cinema movies and the arrival of technology which enables people to watch them in their homes and even whilst travelling to and from work.
With some movies generating more than billion dollars in profit and flat screen televisions selling in their tens of millions it unquestionably justifies the massive investment in 3D entertainment technology.
3D technology is getting quite popular, especially after the release of movies like Avatar, which generated billions of dollars in profit. People have enjoyed 3D so much that they are trying to bring that theatre experience into their homes. It is very interesting to see the growing popularity of the convergence of 3D movies, into other technologies. They are even trying to make laptops and notebooks 3D. We will see in the future how much this trend will continue to grow.
Mohammad Kabiri 10/14/10
Indian Bid for MGM Is a Safe Move for Hollywood
One of India’s top film producers, Sahara India Pariwar, is interested in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, James Bond’s Hollywood studio. That may sound groundbreaking, but a purchase of MGM by the Indian conglomerate would probably provoke only relief in Tinseltown because it would not upset the industry’s status quo. A more radical buyout could be something Google’s YouTube unit might be capable of, if it dares. Full Article
An older generation of movies now have the chance of making even more money through the development of technology since their release years ago. 'The Sound of Music' has already released a DVD version of the old VHS tape, but now the newest release will be in Blu-ray. This disc will come with many other extras which will hopefully be more of an incentive to buy it. Even old classics such as this movie have to constantly keep up with the newer technology so that their stories, and one time fame will stay alive.
"Pro-piracy sympathisers have launched distributed denial of service attacks against a number of high-profile music and movie industry websites, which have forced the sites offline"
The family of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck (The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men) and the Center for Steinbeck Studies will give this year’s John Steinbeck “In the Souls of the People” Award to documentary filmmaker and political gadfly Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine).
Past recipients include Arthur Miller, Bruce Springsteen, John Sayles, Garrison Keillor, Joan Baez and Sean Penn.
Thomas Steinbeck, who will present the award to Moore next month at a public ceremony at San Jose State University, stated:
Michael Moore is a courageous man and a great selection for the John Steinbeck Award. My father would have loved him; my father was the Michael Moore of his time.
Moore responded:
I am truly grateful to the Steinbeck family and the Steinbeck Center for their generous acknowledgment of my work. The works of John Steinbeck have been a singular and powerful inspiration to me all of my life. Steinbeck believed that a story could change the world. He spent his life telling the stories of the powerless and the exploited. Through him, they had a voice. Today we are sadly, once again, witnesses to another Grapes of Wrath.
-Mohammad Kabiri 9/23/10
For some, 3D movies a pain in the head
(Reuters) - Movie buffs and sports fans looking to 3D televisions for the ultimate home theater experience may want to get their eyes checked first -- or risk a 3D headache, U.S. eye experts said on Saturday.
The growing popularity of three-dimensional movies such as James Cameron's "Avatar" -- now a $1 billion box office hit -- has inspired a crop of 3D TV sets, unveiled this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
And while new digital 3D technology has made the experience more comfortable for many, for some people with eye problems, a prolonged 3D session may result in an aching head, they said.
Famed Film Director, Jean-Luc Godard, Comes to Defense of a Convicted Internet Pirate
Jean-Luc Godard, the 79-year-old director of movies like “Breathless” and “Alphaville,” has come to the support of James Climent, a photographer who faces a fine of 20,000 euros ($26,520) for violating musical copyrights. Mr. Climent said Mr. Goddard this month donated 1,000 euros to his legal fees.
While Mr. Goddard's views on intellectual property are widely shared on the libertarian fringes of the Internet, they might seem suprising coming from a director who retains editorial control over his work and derives financial benefit from it. Mr. Goddard's support for Mr. Climent comes as the debate over file-sharing is growing.
Mr. Climent's view on the matter?: "Downloading is a citizen's right."
Mr. Goddard has yet to comment publicly on Mr. Climent's case, but he laid out the rationale for his opposition to copyright issues in a interview in which he declared "There is no such thing as intellectual property. Copyright isn't feasible. An author has no rights. I have no rights. I only have duties"
Paramount Pictures and sister company Spike TV are joining forces to turn the cable channel's series Deadliest Warrior into a feature film. Shawn Levy and Dan Levine will produce through his 21 Laps banner. Levy might direct. The show pits the great warriors of history against one another to see who would prevail. Past combatants have included spartans vs ninjas, yakuza vs mafia. Levy right now is directing the robot mano a mano pic Real Steel for DreamWorks. Unscripted cable is suddenly very cool fodder for film content: Fox is separately working with John Moore on a feature adaptation of cable TV's Ice Road Truckers.
It is slowly becoming more common to see TV shows turn into feature flicks. The show Deadliest Warrior is quite new, and they use many high tech devices, to impress their audience. The ratings of the show vary but average out to 7.1 out of 10. People are interested to see all the different warriors from the past come together and battle. We will have to wait and see if it does well on the big screen.
Mohammad Kabiri- 9/16/10
Are Films Bad, or Is TV Just Better?
"FOR as long as anyone in the movie world can remember (which may be only 20 years or so, but never mind), the fall season has been marked by a sober kind of excitement. The commercial entertainments of summer give way to more ambitious fare, and the grown-up segment of the audience goes back to the theaters looking for stirring performances, complex storytelling, important themes and big emotions. That’s the theory, anyway."
"Recently, though, that eager, earnest sense of anticipation — which this section of The New York Times, along with similar preview issues of other publications, both reflects and encourages — has been accompanied, at least among insiders and journalists, by annual paroxysms of anxiety. A few years ago the dominant worry was that a glut of serious movies would overwhelm the marketplace, the films crowding one another out, a concern that was followed almost seamlessly by the fear that such films might disappear altogether."
" A new study by The Nielsen Company for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, which commissioned the work, said consumers exposed to 3D films -- especially in theme parks where many people are first exposed to this content -- elicit strong overall interest in 3DTV."
It was found that the typical movie-goer would prefer to watch a film in 3-D now that they have been exposed to it. With the introduction of new cameras to shoot films in 3-D, there are now talks of taking the action to television at home. Most of the supporters of 3-D TV's are gamers and avid movie-goers. Although this may be in high demand right now, there are a few downfalls to the "future way to experience television." The above article taken from MediaPost.com explains the negative aspects that are associated with such a high demand.
An Android smartphone, called the Samsung Vibrant (a variant of the Galaxy S) launched on T-Mobile network on July 21 as meant to rival the iPhone offered on the AT&T network. However, the most interesting aspect of the phone is when you pay the $199 price for the phone, it will come pre-loaded with a copy of Avatar (and the mobile gameThe Sims 3 Collector’s Edition). Shipping a movie pre-loaded with the cell-phone is a new idea, and the first time ever it's even been attempted, but loading a strictly visual, 3-D made movie such as Avatar is a very controversial idea. Even the Avatar director, James Cameron was quoted as saying it was "dumb" and he "wouldn't recommend it".
With this intermingling of technology and film, especially one with such buzz and an Oscar nomination, it makes many wonder what is going to be included next with the ever-expanding cell phone technology.
It’s bad enough that you can’t watch it in the original 3D format, but is a film such as Avatar meant to be viewed on such a small screen as one on the cell phone? You can watch the demonstration of Avatar on the Samsung Vibrant below:
Former WB China Chief Eliasoph Backs 3D Film PushFollowing the success of Avatar in China and the flop of China’s latest 3D film, Ellen Eliasoph, the former head of Warner Bros. China and Bai Qiang, the founder of a new company called 3D-China, have teamed up to explain and promote the 3-D technology proliferating in Hollywood to China’s burgeoning film industry and Chinese middle-class moviegoers.
After the failure of Chinese director A Gan’s 3D movie Don Quixote, which was pulled from screens after its Oct. 15 premiere, Bai said there was much work to be done for Chinese 3D to catch up with Hollywood. “It somewhat shakes the confidence of Chinese movie industry in doing 3D,” Bai told The Hollywood Reporter. “The pure domestic attempts on 3D have not been very eager.”
Eliasoph and Quang are banding together with the government to launch the "3D Creation Expo" which is free to the public and will feature several 3D features including a promo for the US Air Force, a college football game, a film about a Chinese fashion show (Catwalk 3D) and a short film called Hi from Hollywood, produced by film students at the University of Southern California now taking the classes of professor Michael Peyser. A talk on the importance of storytelling to any film, 2D or 3D, was set to include CAA China president Peter Loehr, director Lu Chuan and Qian Chong Yuan, director of the film department of Beijing Forbidden City Film Co.
This just shows that American film technologies are slowly making their way into other markets and proliferate the world, making it to the new normal and over-shadowing regular movie-making. This rush to 3D is just another example of forced upgrade such as the DVD eclipsing the VCR (and maybe next BluRay) or the CD replacing the mix tape.
Christopher Nolan to Receive Visionary Award from Visual Effects Society
Christopher Nolan is to receive the Visual Effects Society’s inaugural Visionary Award at their Awards night on January 28, 2011, in recognition of his unique and consistent use of “the art and science of visual effects to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work,” according to the VES.Nolan’s films, from Memento and The Prestige to The Dark Knight and Inception, have helped to “tell complex and astonishing stories that change the way we think about the world around us,” says VES Awards Committee chair Jeffrey A. Okun. “His body of work inspires and he continues to push the envelope both technically and in storytelling. Given the amazing work he’s already created in such a short span of time, he is absolutely the best person to receive our inaugural Visionary Award.”
Christopher Nolan will receive an award for his magnificent work on January 28, 2011. He has taken us to another world, when it comes to the art of science and visual effects. He has inspired other film makers to aspire to great lengths. His special effects in Dark Knight took the audience by storm. Only the future will show what amazing work he will continue to do on movies such as the third Batman installment.
-Mohammad O. Kabiri
Warner Bros. Probing Online Leak of New 'Harry Potter' Film
The Wall Street Journal reported that "Warner Bros. is investigating how the first 36 minutes of the newest 'Harry Potter' film came to be posted on the Internet late Monday night, four days ahead of the movie's worldwide theatrical debut Friday."Bianca Puopolo 11/17/2010
Amazon Puts on Its Sunglasses and Goes Hollywood
Amazon hopes to expand their business and introduce feature films to their already successful online business. They do not want to draw the line at online retail, but hope to use their site as an entrance into Hollywood. Aspiring screenwriters and filmmakers will be able to submit potential blockbusters through Amazon. Major feature films now have the possibly to be made from people who normally wouldn’t have had the funds or connections to do so.http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/amazon-puts-on-its-sunglasses-and-goes-hollywood/?ref=media
Alyssa O'Brien 11/17/10
November 15, 2010, 11:47 am
Screening of Gay Zombie Film Leads to Police Raid in Australia
By DAVE ITZKOFFDark Alley Media A
Could there eventually come a day when our popular culture’s disposition toward all things zombie-related goes from fixation to saturation, from saturation to revulsion, and from revulsion to a point where people are actually persecuted for showing zombie movies? Richard Wolstencroft, the director of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival in Australia, might argue that the day is already here. But then again the zombie movie he tried to show at his festival over the summer is not exactly your ordinary horror flick.
- Nicole Hoenig
11-15-10
Glasses-Less 3D is Only 8 to 10 Years Away According to James Cameron
James Cameron, filmmaker of Avatar, is well known for "pioneering" 3-Dimensional movies. Despite the "mystique of the magic moment" vibe of all his 3-D smarts, most people in the industry trust him when he shares his belief that the next big step in glasses-less 3DTV. Considering
HDTV
has been around since the 1990s, but didn’t really hit big until about five years ago, that estimate sounds about right.
The main issue with Cameron's idea of glasses-less 3DTV is that most people in the industry are having trouble visualizing what the concept actually means and what it will actually look like. Despite our advances, seeing a 3D movie or TV without glasses seems like a far-fetched idea to many. However, in March Nintendo is releasing the 3DS, one of the first forms of glasses-less 3D entertianment and making many believe that a future in TV and movies isn't far off.
What will be interesting to see is whether 3D entertainment will actually improve our TV shows and movies or will it make them all along the lines of Avatar: lots of cool graphics to capture attention and distract from a dismal, uninteresting plot. If that is where 3D entertainment, and glass-less 3D entertainment, is going to continue taking us, then I would rather stick with the sets we already have.
Megan Schachtebeck 11/04/10
Pirated Films From Nigeria Are Seized in Brooklyn
Here we see an example of the authorities taking action towards pirated films. Other than written warnings and threats, it is hard to break down on getting this problem fixed. But we see that in Brooklyn about 10,000 counterfeit bootlegged copies of videos were seized. This gives relief to film makers and directors, giving them the credit they deserve and allowing them to earn more money. Even though these bootlegged copies are sold for about three dollars, the film makers do not see any of this profit.
Alyssa O'Brien 11/4/10
Box office preview: 'Megamind' to lead a monster weekend
by John Young
1. //Megamind//: $52 million
Paramount is anticipating the $130 million Megamind to debut to about the same figure as DreamWorks’ last original animated film, How to Train Your Dragon, which soared to a $43.7 million opening in March. But Dragon didn’t have the star power of Ferrell and Pitt, and Paramount’s been promoting Megamind with the fervor of a gubernatorial candidate. Megamind will also benefit from an extremely wide opening at 3,944 locations, two-thirds of which will be showing the comedy in 3-D. Add in 195 IMAX 3-D screens, a short running time of 96 minutes, and an audience starved for family entertainment, and I’m thinking this thing should have no problem topping $50 million. (By comparison, Universal’s similarly themed Despicable Me grossed $56.4 million its first weekend in July).
2. //Due Date//: $34 million
Phillips’ last film, The Hangover, opened to an unexpected $45 million last year and finished its domestic run with $277.3 million — the largest jackpot ever for an R-rated comedy. It also made a star out of Zach Galifianakis, who now shares the screen in Due Date with none other than Robert Downey Jr. Unfortunately, the early buzz on Due Date is that it’s no Hangover, but that shouldn’t prevent the road-trip comedy from still scoring big this weekend.
3. //For Colored Girls//: $23 million
In his first ever R-rated directing effort, Tyler Perry adapted the 1975 play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf (try fitting that title on a theater marquee). Lions Gate has been marketing the film as a serious drama, which it is, but initial reviews have been mixed. Perry’s fans, however, have been notably supportive throughout his career — the eight films he has directed have opened to an average of $24.2 million. For Colored Girls should earn approximately the same amount as it screens at 2,127 locations.
4. //Saw 3D//: $8.5 million
Life is hard for a horror film after its first weekend, and with Megamind stealing plenty of 3-D screens from Saw 3D, this final entry in the horror franchise should expect a drop of about 65 percent.
5. //Paranormal Activity 2//: $7 million
Paranormal 2 shouldn’t tumble as much as Saw 3D will this weekend — a slip of 58 percent is more likely. If the horror sequel falls any more than that, the action comedy Red, which has been showing incredible stamina, could very well step in and snag fifth place.
Also opening this weekend in four locations is Danny Boyle’s //127 Hours//, starring James Franco as a real-life mountain climber who becomes trapped under a boulder. The intense drama should score a massive per-theater average, even if a few moviegoers have been reported to have fainted like, well, goats. And Summit’s action thriller //Fair Game//, starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, will begin its journey at 46 theaters.
Paramount pictures is anticipating their IMAX 3-D movie to do very well easily topping 50 million. IMAX 3-D films are truly the rage these days. It is opening at 3,944 locations, and the audience is greatly anticipating this film, and ready for some family entertainment. This film also stars big names like Brad Pitt and Will Ferrell. We will see how good the film really does tomorrow.
-Mohammad O. Kabiri
New Motion Theater Seats
D-BOX Technologies designs and manufactures leading edge high-technology motion systems mainly suited to the needs of the entertainment industry. With its unique, patented technology, « D-BOX Motion Code™ » uses motion effects specifically programmed for each film, TV series or video game, which are sent to a motion generating system integrated within either a platform or a seat. The resulting motion is perfectly synchronized with all onscreen action, creating an unmatched realistic immersive experience. To date, D-BOX Motion Code™ is available on more than 900 titles. Accordingly, many prominent Hollywood studios have started embedding D-BOX Motion Code™ on many Blu-ray™ format and theatrical releases. By reaching agreements with the leaders of both the motion picture and gaming industries, D-BOX’s award-winning motion technology is gradually proving itself as a new global standard in the entertainment world...
Making Movies with Laptops and Ingenuity
This article refers to the fact that anyone with the imagination and passion for storytelling being able to make a movie. Using programs such as Adobe to create aliens can be a great alternative to spending thousands of dollars to have a green screen. A new movie titled "Monsters" was made with two laptops, one for assembling the movie, and the other for creating effects. This allows for more people being able to show their talent making movies, without having to have as much money as the Hollywood directors or producers do.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/movies/17monsters.html?_r=1&ref=movies
Alyssa O'Brien 10/28/10
TCM launches its biggest documentary series yet
"While the series covers the history of the movie business through evolving technology, artistic progress and commercial drive, the dominant feeling one gets is that the engine of Hollywood was its ambitious moguls: Men, mostly immigrants, who built an empire of celluloid."
Bianca Puopolo 10/28/2010
Time Travel Technology Found on Old Charlie Chaplin Film
There has been a "YouTube storm" uncovering what is apparently an extra in a Charlie Chaplin film from the 1920s carrying a mobile phone.
The footage was found on the DVD extras section of the 1928 film The Circus.
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Megan Schachtebeck, 10/28/2010
Box office preview: Can 'Saw 3D' silence 'Paranormal Activity 2'?
With only one major release this weekend, it’s tempting to simply predict a first-place finish for Saw 3D and call it a day. However, this Halloween weekend’s battle between two horror films — Lionsgate’ seventh (and allegedly last) Saw entry and Paramount’s holdover Paranormal Activity 2 — may wind up closer than we anticipate. For one thing, there’s bad blood between the two franchises. When Saw VI opened last year on Oct. 23, its weekend victory was all but assured, especially considering that since Saw II, every Saw movie had debuted to at least $30 million. But instead, little Paranormal Activity, with its $15,000 budget, expanded wide and amputated Saw VI‘s box-office prowess. Paranormal Activity grossed $21.1 million that weekend while Saw VI had to settle for second place with $14.1 million (and a series-low domestic total of $27.7 million). And yet, despite this cautionary preamble, I’m still picking Saw 3D over Paranormal Activity 2. Here’s why:
1. Saw 3D: $23.5 million
The wild-card element at play is 3-D. If everyone who saw Saw VI comes out for Saw 3D and pays the exorbitant 3-D surcharge, that would result in a sizable bump. (A Colbert bump would have been even better). Saw 3D should also benefit from being advertised as the final entry in the franchise. Moviegoers who saw only the first two or three Saw films may still be curious to discover how the whole enchilada ends. Despite these selling points, however, Saw appears to be a (horrible pun intended) dying series. Since Saw II, each successive film has cumulatively earned less than its predecessor. And 3-D doesn’t seem to have quite the same pull it had six months ago; for instance, that extra dimension failed to stir much interest in Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take, which premiered to a measly $6.8 million a few weeks ago. So I’m predicting Saw 3D will split the openings of Saw V ($30.1 million) and Saw VI ($14.1 million) and come away with around $23.5 million from 2,808 locations — still a tidy sum considering the film’s reported $11 million budget.
2. //Paranormal Activity 2//: $18.5 million
Considering how front-loaded Paranormal Activity 2‘s record-breaking $40.7 million weekend was, the film would likely be facing a significant drop even if Saw 3D wasn’t opening this weekend. But throw Jigsaw into the equation, and Paranormal 2 should anticipate a 55 percent fall.
3. //Jackass 3D//: $10.5 million
Even if Jackass 3D takes another tumble of about 55 percent, Johnny Knoxville and company should cross $100 million this weekend — a Jackass stunt no one saw coming.
4. //Red//: $10 million
Having dipped only 31 percent its second weekend, Summit’s action comedy should continue to hold up well. In fact, it could easily overtake Jackass 3D for third place this weekend, but I’m giving the stunt pranksters a slight edge. By the end of the weekend, Red will have practically matched its reported budget of $58 million.
5. //Hereafter//: $7.5 million
Historically, Clint Eastwood’s films are slow burners, and with little else in the marketplace for serious-minded adults, the supernatural drama Hereafter would normally be expected to slip only 30 percent or so. However, in light of the film’s average reviews and a C+ score from CinemaScore audiences, I’m predicting a (still commendable) drop that’s closer to 40 percent.
Also opening in 10 locations is the indie drama //Welcome to the Rileys//, starring Twilight‘s Kristen Stewart, James Gandolfini, and Melissa Leo. The third and final entry of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy, //The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest//, also debuts in 123 theaters.
The new Saw is doing very well, especially since it has barely been out in movie theatres. Many critics are saying that the 3D element is playing very well for the film. Even though the Saw movies were making a lot of money, they were becoming less and less popular. The 3D wildcard played to its advantage, and now it is in the number one spot. Only the future holds what roles 3D will play in the upcoming movies.
-Mohammad O. Kabiri
Pixar Removes Its First Female Director
By Brooks Barnes
October 20, 2010, 2:30 pm
Walt Disney Studios confirmed a report on the blog CartoonBrew.com that Brenda Chapman — heralded as the first woman to direct a Pixar film, the forthcoming “Brave” — had been replaced at the helm of that picture by Mark Andrews, the director of the 2005 Pixar short “One Man Band.”
Pixar has faced criticism from some corners about its lack of gender diversity behind the camera. All 11 of the celebrated animation studio’s features have been directed by men. Some movie critics, bloggers and others have also faulted Pixar for a shortage of leading ladies on screen, with most of its films — “Up,” “Toy Story,” “Cars,” “Monsters Inc.” — focused on male characters.
Full Article
- Nicole Hoenig
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A Film Takes on the Cell Phone Industry
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A new feature-length documentary called “Full Signal” will was released worldwide in June analyzes the need for towers, their benefits, and the people who want them to be done away with—or at least examined more closely. The idea was introduced by Talal Jabari, a Palestinian-American filmmaker who first became concerned about the effects of cellular equipment as a young father living in the Middle East.
The film discusses the Connecticut Sitting Council who focus solely on the idea that cellular infrastructure is harming the country, rather than helping it. To those featured in the movie and in the council, the cellular and internet technology should be much more greatly controlled and that it's very presence is greatly harming Americans in their health.
Featured Author, Blake Levitt, find her inspiration in European countries. At a press conference, she was quoted saying:
“In France, the French national library system outlawed Wi-Fi in libraries because it was making librarians sick...The German government has advised citizens to keep landlines functioning and wireless products to a minimum, and they recommend people within childbearing age not use laptops for fertility reasons. Most European countries recommend children under 16 not use cell phones, except in an emergency or for people to use cordless domestic phones. They know the safer technology is wired systems, but we’re punch drunk here with wireless convenience.”
In general the movie asks us how "punch drunk" we really are with technology, and is it too much to realize the harmful effects that technology is really having on us.
Megan Schachtebeck 10.14.10
The Development of 3D Technology
Around 50 years ago Hollywood considered 3D movies would be widespread, with millions of cinema goers enjoying three dimensional movies by the the late 1960's. Well, fifty years on that thought is now becoming a reality as more and more producers and directors are investing their time and money in developing blockbuster movies in 3D format.However, many people could never expect how quickly the technology would allow people to watch 3D films in their very own homes.
Entertainment electronics manufacturers are investing hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars into creating 3D compatible Bluray DVD players and 3D televisions. Enabling people watch cinema quality three dimensional movies whenever they choose to.
The technology is also developing into different standards such as Dynamic Digital Depth which uses highly sophisticated software to now enter the home and transfer standard, two dimensional video output into 3D images. Surely, something that could never have been expected in the 1960's.
The software will unlikely be sold separately, but will instead be licensed to manufacturers such who will pre install the software into new TVs and Blu Ray players. It will also be possible for home entertainment fans to plug their 3D television into a broadband connection which will update the software as it develops. Ensuring that the television has a full life span. It is even anticipated that laptops and wireless notebooks will become 3D. Enabling everyone to watch 3D movies not just in their living room but literally anywhere in the world.
The 1960's saw the launch of colour television throughout the United States, but it is the new millennium which has finally seen the explosion of 3D cinema movies and the arrival of technology which enables people to watch them in their homes and even whilst travelling to and from work.
With some movies generating more than billion dollars in profit and flat screen televisions selling in their tens of millions it unquestionably justifies the massive investment in 3D entertainment technology.
3D technology is getting quite popular, especially after the release of movies like Avatar, which generated billions of dollars in profit. People have enjoyed 3D so much that they are trying to bring that theatre experience into their homes. It is very interesting to see the growing popularity of the convergence of 3D movies, into other technologies. They are even trying to make laptops and notebooks 3D. We will see in the future how much this trend will continue to grow.
Mohammad Kabiri 10/14/10
Indian Bid for MGM Is a Safe Move for Hollywood
One of India’s top film producers, Sahara India Pariwar, is interested in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, James Bond’s Hollywood studio. That may sound groundbreaking, but a purchase of MGM by the Indian conglomerate would probably provoke only relief in Tinseltown because it would not upset the industry’s status quo. A more radical buyout could be something Google’s YouTube unit might be capable of, if it dares.
Full Article
- Nicole Hoenig 10-13-10
'The Sound of Music,' The Blu-ray Treatment
An older generation of movies now have the chance of making even more money through the development of technology since their release years ago. 'The Sound of Music' has already released a DVD version of the old VHS tape, but now the newest release will be in Blu-ray. This disc will come with many other extras which will hopefully be more of an incentive to buy it. Even old classics such as this movie have to constantly keep up with the newer technology so that their stories, and one time fame will stay alive.
Alyssa O'Brien 10/15/10
Music and film industry websites targeted in cyber attacks
"Pro-piracy sympathisers have launched distributed denial of service attacks against a number of high-profile music and movie industry websites, which have forced the sites offline"
Bianca Puopolo 09/23/2010
John Steinbeck Award To Go to Michael Moore
The family of Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck (The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men) and the Center for Steinbeck Studies will give this year’s John Steinbeck “In the Souls of the People” Award to documentary filmmaker and political gadfly Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine).
Past recipients include Arthur Miller, Bruce Springsteen, John Sayles, Garrison Keillor, Joan Baez and Sean Penn.
Thomas Steinbeck, who will present the award to Moore next month at a public ceremony at San Jose State University, stated:
- Michael Moore is a courageous man and a great selection for the John Steinbeck Award. My father would have loved him; my father was the Michael Moore of his time.
Moore responded:- I am truly grateful to the Steinbeck family and the Steinbeck Center for their generous acknowledgment of my work. The works of John Steinbeck have been a singular and powerful inspiration to me all of my life. Steinbeck believed that a story could change the world. He spent his life telling the stories of the powerless and the exploited. Through him, they had a voice. Today we are sadly, once again, witnesses to another Grapes of Wrath.
-Mohammad Kabiri 9/23/10For some, 3D movies a pain in the head
(Reuters) - Movie buffs and sports fans looking to 3D televisions for the ultimate home theater experience may want to get their eyes checked first -- or risk a 3D headache, U.S. eye experts said on Saturday.
The growing popularity of three-dimensional movies such as James Cameron's "Avatar" -- now a $1 billion box office hit -- has inspired a crop of 3D TV sets, unveiled this week at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
And while new digital 3D technology has made the experience more comfortable for many, for some people with eye problems, a prolonged 3D session may result in an aching head, they said.
Full Article
-Nicole Hoenig 9/22/10
Famed Film Director, Jean-Luc Godard, Comes to Defense of a Convicted Internet Pirate
Jean-Luc Godard, the 79-year-old director of movies like “Breathless” and “Alphaville,” has come to the support of James Climent, a photographer who faces a fine of 20,000 euros ($26,520) for violating musical copyrights. Mr. Climent said Mr. Goddard this month donated 1,000 euros to his legal fees.
While Mr. Goddard's views on intellectual property are widely shared on the libertarian fringes of the Internet, they might seem suprising coming from a director who retains editorial control over his work and derives financial benefit from it. Mr. Goddard's support for Mr. Climent comes as the debate over file-sharing is growing.
Mr. Climent's view on the matter?: "Downloading is a citizen's right."
Mr. Goddard has yet to comment publicly on Mr. Climent's case, but he laid out the rationale for his opposition to copyright issues in a interview in which he declared "There is no such thing as intellectual property. Copyright isn't feasible. An author has no rights. I have no rights. I only have duties"
Megan Schachtebeck 9.22.10
'Deadliest Warrior' From TV To Big Screen
Paramount Pictures and sister company Spike TV are joining forces to turn the cable channel's series Deadliest Warrior into a feature film. Shawn Levy and Dan Levine will produce through his 21 Laps banner. Levy might direct. The show pits the great warriors of history against one another to see who would prevail. Past combatants have included spartans vs ninjas, yakuza vs mafia. Levy right now is directing the robot mano a mano pic Real Steel for DreamWorks. Unscripted cable is suddenly very cool fodder for film content: Fox is separately working with John Moore on a feature adaptation of cable TV's Ice Road Truckers.
It is slowly becoming more common to see TV shows turn into feature flicks. The show Deadliest Warrior is quite new, and they use many high tech devices, to impress their audience. The ratings of the show vary but average out to 7.1 out of 10. People are interested to see all the different warriors from the past come together and battle. We will have to wait and see if it does well on the big screen.
Mohammad Kabiri- 9/16/10
Are Films Bad, or Is TV Just Better?
"FOR as long as anyone in the movie world can remember (which may be only 20 years or so, but never mind), the fall season has been marked by a sober kind of excitement. The commercial entertainments of summer give way to more ambitious fare, and the grown-up segment of the audience goes back to the theaters looking for stirring performances, complex storytelling, important themes and big emotions. That’s the theory, anyway."
"Recently, though, that eager, earnest sense of anticipation — which this section of The New York Times, along with similar preview issues of other publications, both reflects and encourages — has been accompanied, at least among insiders and journalists, by annual paroxysms of anxiety. A few years ago the dominant worry was that a glut of serious movies would overwhelm the marketplace, the films crowding one another out, a concern that was followed almost seamlessly by the fear that such films might disappear altogether."
Full Article
-Nicole Hoenig 9/14/10
3DTV Elicits High Interest From Gamers, Movie Fans
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A new study by The Nielsen Company for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing, which commissioned the work, said consumers exposed to 3D films -- especially in theme parks where many people are first exposed to this content -- elicit strong overall interest in 3DTV."
It was found that the typical movie-goer would prefer to watch a film in 3-D now that they have been exposed to it. With the introduction of new cameras to shoot films in 3-D, there are now talks of taking the action to television at home. Most of the supporters of 3-D TV's are gamers and avid movie-goers. Although this may be in high demand right now, there are a few downfalls to the "future way to experience television." The above article taken from MediaPost.com explains the negative aspects that are associated with such a high demand.
Bianca Puopolo- 09/13/2010
Samsung Android Phone Ships with a Copy of “Avatar”
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Android smartphone, called the Samsung Vibrant (a variant of the Galaxy S) launched on T-Mobile network on July 21 as meant to rival the iPhone offered on the AT&T network. However, the most interesting aspect of the phone is when you pay the $199 price for the phone, it will come pre-loaded with a copy of Avatar (and the mobile gameThe Sims 3 Collector’s Edition). Shipping a movie pre-loaded with the cell-phone is a new idea, and the first time ever it's even been attempted, but loading a strictly visual, 3-D made movie such as Avatar is a very controversial idea. Even the Avatar director, James Cameron was quoted as saying it was "dumb" and he "wouldn't recommend it".
With this intermingling of technology and film, especially one with such buzz and an Oscar nomination, it makes many wonder what is going to be included next with the ever-expanding cell phone technology.
It’s bad enough that you can’t watch it in the original 3D format, but is a film such as Avatar meant to be viewed on such a small screen as one on the cell phone? You can watch the demonstration of Avatar on the Samsung Vibrant below:
Megan Schachtebeck - 9/10/10
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